Valentines party games and printable Holiday games!

Kids will love the following ideas for Valentine party games. Remember, most games can be adapted to all ages of children with a bit of creative thinking. Also, if you choose to play a game that requires teams, and you have an odd number of children, one person will need to go twice. Ask for a volunteer and if one doesn't surface you might want to leave it up to the team to choose who they think will be the fastest.

Valentine Bingo

Supplies:

* Make your own heart shaped bingo cards or print our Heart Bingo Cards * Red hots or a small candy, such as M&M's, for markers * Valentine bag to hold call cards

How To Play: Print our Heart Bingo Cards or create your own cards using a Valentine, February, or Candy Bar theme. Valentine theme might include: card, heart, red, pink, white, cupid, St. Valentine. February theme might include: groundhogs, President Lincoln, Washington, winter, doves, valentines. A candybar theme might include: Skor, Mr. Goodbar, Milkyway, Hershey, Kisses, Hugs, Joy (go to the grocery store for this one).

Another variation to create your own Bingo card: Write the names of all the children on pieces of paper and drop them into a Valentine bag. Note: remove the names of any children absent that day.

Create a BINGO card with blank spaces. Across the top it will say "N-A-M-E-S". Have the children go around and have their classmates sign their name to the spaces on the card. When all are done, have them sit down at their tables.

Play NAMES by drawing a name out of the bag. Play regular BINGO or blackout. If the children really like the game, then play "Postage Stamp" any 2x2 square (4 names) on the board, etc. Try these kids' Valentine party games. Children will love playing Valentine Bingo or Pin the Heart on Cupid! Every February we celebrate Valentine's Day by giving flowers, candy and cards to those we love. We do this in honor of Saint Valentine. You may be wondering, "Who is St. Valentine"? Time to brush up on your Valentine's history!

Legend has it that Valentine was a priest who served during third century Rome. There was an Emperor at that time by the name of Claudius II. Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those that were married. With this thought in mind he outlawed marriage for young men in hopes of building a stronger military base. Supposedly, Valentine, decided this decree just wasn't fair and chose to marry young couples secretly. When Emperor Claudius II found out about Valentine's actions he had him put to death.

Another legend has it that Valentine was an imprisoned man who fell in love with his jailor's daughter. Before he was put to death he sent the first 'valentine' himself when he wrote her a letter and signed it 'Your Valentine', words still used on cards today.

Perhaps we'll never know the true identity and story behind the man named St. Valentine, but this much is for sure...February has been the month to celebrate love for a long time, dating clear back to the Middle Ages. In fact, Valentines ranks second only to Christmas in number of greeting cards sent.

Another valentine gentleman you may be wondering about is Cupid (Latin cupido, "desire"). In Roman mythology Cupid is the son of Venus, goddess of love. His counterpart in Greek mythology is Eros, god of love. Cupid is often said to be a mischievous boy who goes around wounding both gods and humans with his arrows, causing them to fall in love. Valentines party games to more party games